“She’s the Man” (DreamWorks)
A Minor Gender Bender
Amanda Bynes takes on Shakespeare in her new film “She’s the Man.” The movie is loosely based on Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” and the emphasis is on the word “loosely.” There is nothing classical about this flick but thanks to Bynes it does manage to be a harmless gender-bender comedy.
Bynes plays Viola, a high school senior who hopes to attract scouts to her soccer games and get a scholarship to college in North Carolina. Then she gets the bad news her school has cancelled the girls’ soccer program, and the coach refuses to let girls try out for the boys team. Viola is furious and desperate to find a way to show her athletic skills.
An answer to her dilemma arises when her brother Sebastian (James Kirk) tells her he is taking off to London to pursue his music. He is ditching his private school for two weeks and wants Viola to cover for him – call him in sick, etc. Since their parents are divorced he can tell his mother he is staying with his father, and vice versa. Viola decides to take his place at his school and try out for the soccer team as Sebastian. They are twins so they look alike.
So begins her adventure as a boy, with a hunky roommate and all. She wears a short hair wig, binds down her breasts, and lowers her voice. That is all it takes, right Wrong! Even the dimmest, blindest soul would never accept this girl as a boy. But in order for the movie to work you have to accept the fact that everyone does.
Bynes gives it her all. She is so cute and charming you almost can enjoy the movie despite its dumb premise. She is a completely natural actress and makes trite scenes seem original. She also has good chemistry with her co-star Channing Tatum who plays Sebastian’s roommate Duke. Duke is supposed to be a senior in high school too but Tatum looks about five years too old for that role.
The film is rated PG-13 for profanity and some mild sexual situations.
This is the kind of movie pre-teen girls will probably enjoy, the same ones who thought “Aquamarine” was clever. Plus there are some die hard Amanda Bynes’ fans who will sit through the silliness just to see her perform.
Amanda Bynes does make the movie tolerable, but it gets a little slow in the middle and the conclusion is just over the top. That sound you hear in the distance is Shakespeare turning over in his grave.
I scored “She’s the Man” a gender bent 5 out of 10.
